DOMESTIC PRODUCTION Canadian Fisheries, Jan
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W ITH] Maritime I condition, The prese] scientis Canada anc eries, atte have felt c PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES OF CANADA appears to in the matt In or lems in the CONTENTS May 1952 conservatic necessary 1 stering act, FEATURES time Provi kind seeme 3 Canada's Lobster Regulations the lobster 6 The Atlantic Cod the product 7 Trawling for Bay of Fundy Sardines a maximurr 8 Bonanza From Little Fish ter, slowly roughly 25 CANADIAN FISHERIES NEWS As is 9 Pacific Coast Landings Up remedies 1, B.C. Fleet Still Growing 9 At the turn Pacific Treaty Signed 9 fit could be 10 Repairs to King's Wharf males, whi 10 Fishes' Sense of Smell sale of suc 10 John Franklin Tait that time. New Type of Fishway 10 Annual Meeting Reported 11 Grad] 11 Whaling Commission tion crept i 11 Canadian Fish Exports• In 1911 thei 12 The B.C. Salmon Story billion new] 13 FAO Activities in Fisheries continued. 1952 14 Canadian Fisheries, Jan. - Mar. , ter investig 16 Fishery Figures for March sound or be FISHERIES NEWS FROM ABROAD In 19: limits wo 17 Norwegian Canning Industry spawn seve 18 Landings of Fish in Great Britain cial fishery 18 Scottish Herring Landings was introdu 19 The Fisheries of Ceylon canneries ably. Sinc( 21 CURRENT READING throughout catch has 1948, the 1 1918. The contents of TRADE NEWS have not been copyrighted and may be reprinted although refe rence D Conser , to the source would be appreciated. For further information regarding TRADE NEWS write to the Departr Director of Information and Educational Service, Department of Fisheries, Ottawa, Canada. -2- Canada's ,Cobster Regulations By Dr. A. L. PRITCHARD ITHIN the last year or two, there has been This change for the better should perhaps give W much discussion of the lobster fishery in the great satisfaction and indicate that further in- Maritime Provinces -- its past history, its present creases should be awaited. On the other hand, the condition, its protection and above all its future. Department of Fisheries feels that it should strive The present review, embodying the opinions of the constantly to attain its goal in conservation, scientists of the Fisheries Research Board of namely, to give maximum utilization of the resource Canada and the officials of the Department of Fish- yet protect the stock for the future. It is for that eries, attempts to clarify the outlook of those who reason that the scientists of the Fisheries Research have felt concern as to the basic reason for what Board of Canada have continued to gather more and appears to be a rather sudden awakening of interest more data on the species. It is b e c au s e of this in the matter. policy that the Department's protection officers have endeavoured to curb infractions of existing re- In order to appreciate fully the existing prob- gulations. Now that there is a greater background lems in the lobster fishery and to understand the of knowledge it is the Department's duty to make it y 1952 conservation principles now being followed, it is clear and review the problem. Perhaps as a result necessary to review briefly the past history. Lob- it may be able to increase the take and give a stering actually commenced about 1870 in the Mari- sounder guarantee of production for the future. time Provinces. At that time, restrictions of any kind seemed unnecessary because the population of The immediate causes for review at this time the lobsters appeared limitless. As the value of have probably been two-fold: the product was realized, the catch rose steadily to a maximum of 85 million pounds in 1886. Thereaf- (1) It is well known that with the increasing value ter, slowly but surely, the take dropped to a low of of lob sters, temptation has been too great for a roughly 25 million pounds in 1918. small minority of fishermen and processors who have forgotten the future good of the industry and of As is usual when productive fisheries decline, their fellows. To get a quick return financially, remedies were sought to halt the downward trend. these people have turned to breaking the laws in At the turn of the century, it was decided that bene- many ways. On the other hand, the protests of the fit could be derived from protecting berried fe- majority of fishermen and processors -- honest and males, which are females carrying eggs, and the industrious individuals -- have been loud and long sale of such individuals has been prohibited since against the nefarious practices of the minority that time. group. Gradually too, the idea of artificial propaga- (2) The specific consideration now being given to tion crept in until 14 hatcheries were in operation. the fisheries resources of the island by the Prince In 1911 their peak production amounted to about one Edward Island Development Committee has focussed billion newly-hatched lobsters. The decline in catch the lobster problems sharply. continued. The hatcheries were closed in 1917, af- ter investigation had indicated that the idea was not It should be made absolutely clear that this is sound or beneficial. a reassessment. No final decisions have yet been made. Meetings are being called to discuss the In 1932, for the first time, minimum size problems in order that the fishermen and industry limits were suggested to permit the lobsters to may know the facts in possession of the Department spawn several times before capture in the commer- and in order that the Department may have the in- cial fishery. In that year a nine-inch minimum size formation in possession of the fishermen and indus- was introduced in southern Nova Scotia, and all the try. Change will come only after all facts and opin- canneries were closed. The stock reacted favour- ions have been analyzed and then only if they will ably. Since 1940 size limits have been in effect benefit production and conservation. throughout the Maritimes and during that time the catch has risen steadily to 45 million pounds in In the opinion of the scientists there are two 1948, the highest total, with one exception, since principal measures now in force which are really 1918. designed to attain maximum long-term yield. These are: Jgh reference Dr. A. L. Pritchard is Director of the Conservation and Development Service of the (1) Minimum Size Limits. The evidence of the val- write to the Department of Fisheries of Canada. ue of size limits is of two types. In the first place, investigations show that a very high proportion of Canada. -3- legal size lobsters are c aught by the commercial they have either intentionally or unintention- Departn fishery (in some cases over 75 percent); that lob- ally. The Department cannot completely el- prohibit sters of sizes most frequently caught increase in iminate these faults, but it is providing its difficult weight about 50 per cent in a year and that natural officers with accurate gauges and willingly time be mortality is low. For these reasons it is indicated indicating to the fishermen where these can ter cool that a substantially greater weight in lobsters would be obtained. It should be stressed, however, so impo be taken if they were allowed to grow to a larger that close accuracy of gauges is actually not est tol size before being caught. In the second place, in the main problem. Fishermen should re- fused. c e r to in areas where the size limit has been in- member that if a lobster is so close to the size limit that there may be argument as to 2. Protec whether it is over or under legal size, it can Female 1 be returned to the water where it will grow. carry their It actually does not pay to take a chance. hatch. In females en (c) The Po s s es s i on of Uncooked Tails. Generally speaking, the possession of sep- er. It is, 1 arate u n c o ok e d lobster tails must be ac - tion to prc cepted as an indication that the fisherman is essential is , attempting to evade the size limit. If the ermen hay lobster had been of legal size, one would not break off tl he s it ate to show the remainder of the ani- water. mal. Our of f i c e r s are well aware of the practice and have seen "drifts" of the bodies The of short lobsters on the beaches. This is a "berried" N despicable action showing complete lack of of some co pear unjus concern for future welfare. A berried female lobster individuals hand, if th creased from approximately seven inches to about (d) Purchase of Cooked Meat by Canners uals might nine inches, it has been confirmed that while the and Processors. Some provinces, in order total poundage was not greatly increased, the value to allow fishermen to build up their food illegal catc under cons of the catch was substantially higher. supply, permit canning of lobsters in home canners. Advantage is taken of this conces- Ther It is recognized that there are a number of sion in that the cans are purchased by some have a basi areas in which the minimum size limit is now seven operators. Because there are so many fish- inches in total length (2-3/8 inches carapace meas- ermen and because our officers still con- (1) Proh ure). Perhaps a greater value would be obtained for sider it rather a stringent measure to be ster. The larger lobsters.